Vehicle-canopy.



'No. 845,501. PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

P. W; WOLF.

VEHICLE CANOPY. APPLICATION FILED 001222, 1906.

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N0. 845,501. f PATENTED FEB. 26, 19 07. F. W.IWOLP.

VEHICLE CANOPY. APPLICATION FILED 00122. 1906.

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UNITED s'rArris PATENT OFFICE.

VEHICLE-CANOPY.

Specification of Letters- Patent.

-' Patented'Feb. 26, 1907.

Application filed October 22'. 1906. Serial to. 339,925.

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. "WOLF, a

citizen of the United States, residing at 01'- ange, Essex county, andState of N eW Jersey,

have invented certain new and useful Imjprovements in Vehicle-Canopies,of which the following is a specification. v Y

My improvements, while applicable to tops or canopies for vehiclesgenerally, are .de-

signed more particularly for automobilesand similar vehicles ofcomparatively greater length than breadth where a folding awning isdesirable.

The object is to' afford a light-weight awning or canopy of simplebutsubstantial struc ture which will-afford the least possible obstructionwhen'in' use and which may be quickly and conveniently folded-and storedtemporarily behind the vehicleor as readily replaced, as may be desired.

The distinguishing feature of the invention consists, essentially, insupporting the flexible cloth covering upon suspension-trusses betweenfront and rear bows attached, respectively, to the dashboard and to theback of the vehicle, substantially as hereinafter set forth.Incidentally the invention includes certain other specific features inthe construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described.

pension-trusses in elevation. Fig. 61's a sectional detail, on a largerscale, of the'f'ront bow and forward portion'of one of thesuspension-trusses; Fig. 7, an edge view of one of the braces; Fig. 8,an elevation of one of the ends of the front bow with thereceivingsocket on the dashboard in section; Figs. 9 and 10, detailviews of one of the pintletplates used on the front bow. Fig. 11 is anelevation of one of the ends of the rear bow;

{Figj 12, a view taken at right angles to Fig. 11; Fig. 13, a viewsimilar to Fig. 11, showing the connection with a standard; Figjl t, anelevation of one of the standards upon which the rear bow 18 mounted.Fig. 15 is aside elevationof oneof the socket-pieces and connections forthe rear bow, showing both front and rear bows supported thereon, thecloth covering being omitted; Fig. 16, a top view of the parts shown inFig. 15. V g V In the drawings, A represents the'superstructure or bodyof an automobile or other vehicle, ab'eing the dashboard and a beingwhat "we will herein designate forfconvenienceas the rear or backboardof the carriage-body. i

b is the front bow, the lower endsof which are supported uponthedashboarda in any suitable or wen-4mm manner, asby the engagement of astud ben each end of the bow with thelusual' socket-piecea on thedashboar'd 'a, the parts being held in engagement by a coupling-pin'b aswill be'understood by reference to Fig. 8.. Each frontbow'standard orupright is preferably, though not'necessarily, made in two partspivotally connected, as by hinges b for the'pu'rpose of folding intomore compact form when the canopy is dismounted and'stored temporarilyat the back of the'vehicle, as hereinafter more fully set forth. Ido'not limit myself in this'r'espect, however, since the frontbow b maybe of ordinary construction without hinged'sections, which are notessential in'so far as the other features of my invention are concerned,the main function of the front bow'b being teatford asubstantial-support for the front ends of the Suspender-trusses S S. Therear side of the s'uspendertrusses S S are in like manner supportedby arear bow ,0, which is of .ordinary construction, except that-each end isformed with a lateral extension c, having an eye 0 for the temporaryreception of pintlet 'b of oneof the hinges 6 of the front bow b whenthe latter is made in hinged sections, as above stated. WVhen the frontbow is made without the foldingend sections, pintlets b or theirequivalent in the form of" studs are provided on each limb of the bowfor thus engaging with the eyes a on the lateral extensions c of therear bow c, the object being to afford a means of coupling the front andrear bows together temporarily when the awning is folded and supportedat the back of the vehicle. 7

Each end of the rear bow c is formed with the usual lateral stud c forengagement with the eye (1 in the upper end ofa short standard d, (seeFigs. 11, 13, and 14 the lower end d of which'fits inthe usualsocket-piece e, one

| of which is attached to each side of thebackl boarda of thevehicle-body. The lower end d of each standard dis threaded for thereception of a retaining-nutf, and between the latter and thesocket-piece e is interposed the eye 9 of a bracket g, to which issecured an adjustable shelf 9 for the support of the front and rear bowsand awning-cloth when the canopy is folded up. This is illustrated inFigs. 15 and 16, in which, however, the flexible awning-cloth isomitted, as it would otherwise obscure and hide the parts and theirrelation to each other when folded. The shelves 9 are made adjustableupon the brackets g, so as to afford an accurate counterpoise for theframework when resting thereon. WVhen the front bow b is unshipped andthe canopy folded, the pintlets or studs bflare sprung into the eyes 0on the lateral extensions 0 of the rear bow c, and as the latter isstill coupled by its standards d to the socket-pieces 6 it is obviousthat the bows are thus locked together and held against displacementwith the canopy and suspending-trusses between them, the shelvessupporting the weight and preventing undue strain upon the connections.

Each truss S consists of a longitudinal suspender-strap s and one ormore braces 8, secured thereto and to one or more intermediatecross-bows I, the latter being relatively short as compared with thefront and rear bows b and c and corresponding to the arched portions ofsaid bows without their straight extensions or limbs by which they aresecured to the vehicle-body. The opposite ends of the straps s aresecured in any suitable man ner to the front and end bows b and c, as bypassing the ends of the strap around the bows or through loops attachedthereto, as shown in the drawings, the overlapping ends of the strapbeing buckled together, as will be understood by reference moreparticularly to Fig. 6. The braces s are secured to the flexible strapss and constitute holders or supports for the intermediate cross-bows I,one, two, or more of which may be used, according to the length of thecanopy, as may be found most expedient. These bow-holding braces 8 mayobviously be made in various ways with like result. As shown in thedrawings, each consists of an inverted-V-shaped metal strip the ends orfeet of which are riveted or otherwise secured to the longitudinalstraps s, a loop 3 being formed at the apex which clasps theintermediate cross-bow I, which is rigidly secured to the brace by anysuitable means. In order to render the braces .9 collapsible when thecanopy is folded, I hinge one section or limb of each brace to theother, as at 8 Two or more of these longitudinal trusses S may beprovided for the support of the flexible covering or awning-cloth-h. Inthe drawings I have shown two, as n ill be understood by reference toFig. 4, in which it will be seen that a Suspender-truss S is pro- 6 5vided at each side of the canopy. A third or middle one might obviouslybe added or any number used, if desired, on account of exceptional sizeof canopy or to give special strength thereto; but as one of the mainobjects of my invention is to attain a light-weight structure I preferordinarily to use only two suspender-trusses S, as herein illustrated.

n represents one of the usual front stays by which the front how 5 isconnected with the front of the vehicle, as an automobile.

It will be seen that a clear space is left on either side of thevehicle, particularly around the front seat, so that the movements andthe vision of the driver are practically free and unobstructed. Bydisposing with the numerous groups of converging bows heretofore used Ialso add materially to the comfort and convenience of the occupants ofthe vehicle and at the same time materially reduce the weight of thestructure as a whole, a consideration of considerable practicalimportance in automobiles and the like.

My improved folding canopy is not only much lighter but it also foldsinto a much smaller space than any of the older forms.

Owing to my peculiar construction of canopy and the nature of itsconnection with the vehicle-body, I am enabled to store and support itwhen folded completely behind the rear seat entirely out of the way,whereas heretofore the canopies when folded have necessarily overlappedmore or less the back of the rear seat, obstructing the view andinterfering with the comfort of the occupants.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is.

1. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination with the flexible covering and front and rear bows, of alongitudinal suspension-truss consisting of a flexible strap attached tosaid front and rear bows, one or more braces attached to said flexiblestrap, and one or more intermediate bows attached to said brace orbraces, for the purpose described.

2. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination with the flexible covering and front and rear bows, of aplurality of longitudinal suspensiontrusses each consisting of aflexible strap attached to said front and rear bows, braces attached tosaid flexible straps, and one or more intermediate bows attached to saidbraces, for the purpose described.

3. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination with the flexible covering and front and rear bows, of aplurality of longitudinal suspendertrusses each consisting of a flexiblestrap attached to said front and rear bows, inverted- V-shaped bracesattached to said straps, and intermediate bows attached to said braces,for the purpose described.

4. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination with the flexible covering and front and rear bows, of aplurality of longitudinal suspendertrusses, each consisting of aflexible strap attached to said front and rear bows, inverted- V-shapedbraces attached to said straps, the arms of each brace being hingedtogether, and intermediate bows attached to said braces, for thepurpose-described.

5. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination with the flexible covering and front and rear bows, of aplurality of longitudinal suspendertrusses each consisting of a flexiblestrap attached to said front and rear bows, inverted- V-shaped bracesattached to said straps and each formed with a loop at its apex, andintermediate bows fitting in said loops and attached to said braces, forthe purpose described.

6. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination with the flexible covering and front and rear bows, of aplurality of longitudinal suspendertrusses each consisting of a flexiblestrap attached to said front and rear bows, inverted- Vshaped bracesattached to said straps and each formed with a loop at its apex and witha hinge attaching one limb of the brace to the other, and intermediatebows fitting in said loops and attached to said braces, for the purposedescribed.

7. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination of the flexible covering, a front bow having hingedsections, a rear bow, longitudinal suspensiontrusses, consisting offlexible straps attached to said front and rear bows, braces attached tosaid straps, and intermediate bows attached to said braces, for thepurpose de scribed.

8. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination of the flexible covering, a front bow formed with alaterally-projecting stud on each of its end extensions, a rear bowformed with lateral extensions having eyes for the reception of saidstuds on the front bow, longitudinal trusses consisting of flexiblestraps attached to said front and rear bows, braces attached to saidstraps, and intermediate bows attached to said braces, for the purposedescribed.

9. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination with the flexible covering, front and rear bows,longitudinal trusses consisting of flexible straps attached to saidfront and rear bows, braces attached to said straps, and intermediatebows attached to said braces, ofrear brackets and adjustable shelvesthereon, for the support of the canopy when folded.

10. In a folding canopy for vehicles of the character designated, thecombination with the covering and with the front and rear bows, offlexible longitudinal straps attached to the front and rear bows,folding braces attached to said straps, and intermediate bows attachedto said braces, for the purpose described.

FRANK W. WOLF.

Witnesses:

GEO. WM. MIATT, D. W-. GARDNER.

